867N.01/2198
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant) to the Secretary of State
[Received February 22.]
Sir: In a general discussion on Palestinian affairs on January 29th, a Foreign Office official told a member of the Embassy staff that the British Government does not expect any particular trouble on March 31, 1944, the expiration date of the five-year period for the entry of 75,000 Jewish immigrants into Palestine as set out in the White Paper. During this period the quota has not been filled, despite the great efforts made by the British to get prospective immigrants out of Nazi-controlled territory. At the present time there are still some 30,000 places to be filled in the immigration, and it has been agreed that these will be permitted to come in after March 31st.
The Foreign Office official said that the present Jewish agitation, which is, of course, extremely strong in the United States, has as its objective the withdrawal of the White Paper. The British Government does not intend, he continued, to give in to this campaign, as it [Page 563] would raise a storm in the Arab world, and any serious trouble in the Middle East would constitute a grave menace to the war effort. For this reason the British believe that no solution of this vexatious problem will be possible before the conclusion of hostilities.…
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Respectfully yours,
Counselor of Embassy